Wire-cutting bayonet.



.I. PJROG.

WIRE CUTTING BAYONET.

APPLICATION man MAY 3. I918.

Patented July 30, 1918.

' JAN rrno or PASSAIG, NEW JERSEY.

WIRE-CUTTING BAYON ET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1918.

Application filed May 3, 1918. Serial No. 232,322.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAN Place, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, having declared my intention to become a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Passale, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vire-Cutting Bayonets, of which the following is a specification. v

The primarybbject of the invention is the provision of a bayonet for fire-arms serving not only the usual function of a bayonet but also adapted for readily cutting wires and especially serviceable for soldiers in forcing their way through barbed wire entanglements. J

A further object of the invention is the provision of a serviceable bayonet for rifles provided with means operable by the soldier in charge of the fire-arms for shearing ofl' wiresand similar members during the continuous use of the bayonet if found desirable, the structure being light in Weight and possessing great strength and durability.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wire cutting attachment upon a bayonet adapted for positioning out of the way when not in use but adapted for adjustment to its operative position whenever it is desired to sever wires or cut through other metal members.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a rifle barrel with the device positioned for use thereon, the blade being indicated by dotted lines in its folded inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken upon lines IIIIII, IV-IV and V-V respectively of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is' a perspective view of the operating means for the cutter detached.

My invention may be operatively positioned upon any form of firearm, the same being herein illustrated secured to a rifle barrel 10 and broadly comprising a bayonet 11 carried by the muzzle portion of the barrel with a shank 12 to which a cutting blade 13 is pivoted provided with an operating rod 14.

The bayonet 11 has a sleeve 15 secured surrounding the barrel 10 by means of holdfast devices 16 with the shank 12 engaging the lower side of the barrel. A bolt 17 is positioned through the shank 12 and blade 13 for swingingly mounting the blade upon the bayonet while a takeup spring 18 is carried by the bolt 17.

A spring clip 19 is secured encircling the barrel 10 having spaced resilient ends 20' at a point beneath the barrel adapted for receiving the blade 13 when folded against the barrel when it is not desired to employ the blade for cutting purposes. The operating rod 11 is slidably positioned through a slide loop 20 of the clip 19 and also through a loop 21 carried by the barrel 10 while the forward end of said rod is provided with a head 22 pivotally attached to a laterally projecting arm 23 of the blade 13. A handle 24 is secured to the rear free end of the rod 14 and projects radially therefrom, whereby the rod 14 may be longitudinally shifted for moving the blade 13 upon its pivot bolt 17.

The curved edge 25 of the blade 13 which is positioned adjacent the lower edge 26 of the bayonet 11 is suitably sharpened for cooperating with the said edge 26 in the cutting operation. From this detail description of the invention it will be understood that a soldier carrying the fire-arm with the barrel 10 and bayonet 11 pointed forwardly may readily pull the handle 24 for cutting off wires such as 27 positioned between the edges 25 and 26, the blade 13 being capable of shearing sheet metal and cutting through other objects than wires if found desirable. A pivot pin 28 is carried by the rod head 22 positioned through aslot 29 in the arm 23 when the device is assembled. The pin 28 is removable however for disconnecting the rod from said arm and permitting the blade 13 to be swung rearwardly into holding position between the resilient members 20 when the blade is not desired for use. A strong and serviceable wire cutting means for rifles is provided possessing great simplicity in construction but being ready to quickly cut through wire barrlers when operatively assembled.

What I claim as new is 1. A wire cutter for rifle barrels comprising a bayonet adapted for attachment to .the muzzle portion of a barrel and having a shank positioned in contact beneath the barrel, a pivot bolt through the said shank, a blade swingingly mounted on said bolt having a curved cutting edge adapted for shearing movement relatively of the adjacent edge of the bayonet, and an operating rod detachably connected to said blade.

2. A wire cutter for rifle barrels comprising a bayonet adapted for attachment to the muzzle portion of a barrel and having a shank positioned in contact beneath the barrel, a pivot bolt through the said shank, a blade swingingly mounted on said bolt having a curved cutting edge adapted for shearing movement relatively of the adjacent edge of the bayonet; a takeup spring mounted upon said bolt engaging the blade, a laterally projecting slotted arm carried by the blade, an operating rod having its forward end detachably connected to the said slotted arm, and a radially projecting handle secured to the rear free end of the rod.

3. A wire cutter for rifle barrels comprising a bayonet adapted for attachment to the muzzle portion of a barrel and having a shank positioned in contact beneath the barrel, a pivot bolt through the said shank, a blade swingingly mounted on said bolt having a curved cutting edge adapted for shearing movement relatively of the adjacent edge of the bayonet, a takeup spring mounted upon said bolt engaging the blade, a laterally projecting slotted arm carried by the blade, an operating rod having its forward end detachably connected to the said slotted arm, a radially projecting handle secured to the rear free end of the rod, mounting loops for the rod adapted for positioning upon a rifle barrel, and resilient clip means attached to one of said loops adapted for resiliently holding the said blade when in its folded inoperative position with the f rod detached from the said arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAN PIROG. 

